


Rest

by makerofaqueen



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, High School AU, M/M, Sick Fic, christmas disease, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 20:46:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12565860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makerofaqueen/pseuds/makerofaqueen
Summary: Octavian is pretty good at keeping people at a distance, until...





	Rest

**Author's Note:**

> anonymous asked:  
> Dude, are you okay? It's been so long since you posted any fic now, I'm feeling worried. JUst checking in out of pure concern, not forcing you to write anything. Also, if you write more would love more HP fics because that one was great AND have you considered other PJO/HOO ships? Like, an Octavian/Kahale one? #askingforafrnd
> 
> For tumblr-anon. Thank you for asking and this is my response. A fluffy, drabbly one-shot of a thing. I'm such a sucker for forced-group assignments au's. I love you!

‘Seriously, has he gotten even skinnier during the winter break?’

‘Wow, how is that even possible? You’re supposed to _eat_ during Christmas.’

‘Honestly, I thought he was anorectic before, but now…’

‘He should just eat something.’

‘Don’t his parents notice?’

‘He’s so pale, it can’t be healthy.’

‘How is that even physically possible? This is California.’

Octavian tried to block out the voices of the other students by putting his headphones on and turning up the music but he could still see them sneak glances at him. He was aware that Christmas break hadn’t been good on him and that he had lost even more weight, which, according to his doctor, was hardly possible. Honestly, he just wanted senior year to be done with so he could ship off to college and not be bothered anymore. He was going to New York, as far away from California as possible. He was over and done with this part of his life. High school was hell.

He looked up just as the football team entered the hallway. Octavian sighed to himself when his eyes landed on the captain. Of course _he_ had to be captain for senior year. It was so cliché it was laughable, really. The outcast nerd having a gay crush on the captain of the football team. Octavian watched as Michael Kahale got his stuff from his locker and went with his jock friends to their class room.

 

\------------------------

 

It was just Octavian’s luck, really, to be paired with Michael Kahale on a group assignment. Why? Why did the universe do this to him? When Michael gestured for him to come over he was shaking like a leaf.

‘I guess we’re stuck with each other, huh?’ Michael said. He didn’t look that upset about it, which confused Octavian. He should be upset.

Michael threw open his textbook and started looking around for a topic. The umbrella topic was world war two. Octavian watched him from the corner of his eye, as if Michael was a wild animal he was afraid would jump him if he got caught off guard.

When the class was dismissed, Octavian tried to run out the door as quickly as possible. He needed to get away and calm his nerves, but Michael stopped him.

‘Octavian, wait!’

He skidded to a halt in the hallway. People were looking at them, because the two of them was by all social standards of high school _not_ supposed to talk to each other. Octavian knew this, of course. Michael, however, didn’t seem to care.

‘Look, have you got a minute?’

He nodded, because how could he deny Michael Kahale anything he wanted, really?

‘Thanks. Okay. This is going to sound pretentious, but I… I really need an A on this.’

Octavian watched him with his eyebrow raised and his arms crossed over his breast: his normal defensive pose. He was terrified to allow Michael to even sense how he really felt.

‘And?’ he asked.

‘Can we… can we get a good head start on this? Do you mind? I was thinking maybe… maybe you could come back to my place after school? I know you’re like, a straight A student, and I’m not, so…’

Octavian thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest it was pounding so hard.

‘Uhm… sure, yeah. I think I got time this afternoon.’

‘Great!’

Michael looked so relieved and happy that Octavian’s heart shattered a little. This was going to be a fucking torture.

‘When are you off?’

Octavian thought about it.

‘Uh… three.’

‘Oh, okay. I’m off at two. Can I text you my address?’

_He_ wanted to text _him_? _He_ wanted to text _him_. As in a daze, Octavian nodded.

‘I’ll look you up on Facebook, what’s your last name?’

‘Augustus…’

A smile played in the corner of Michael’s mouth.

‘Really? Octavian Augustus? Like… like the roman emperor?’

Octavian nodded glumly.

‘God,’ Michael said. ‘I would love to have that for a last name. I need to marry you.’ Octavian’s eyes widened at that, but Michael just kept going, totally unaware of the havoc he wreaked on Octavian’s poor, poor heart. ‘There, I found you. Answer my request and I’ll text you. See you after school!’ and then he disappeared down the hallway. Octavian stared at his phone and the little icon of Michael’s face. He had sent him a friend request. That was weird. He accepted it, none the less, before he continued to class.

 

\---------------------------

 

Octavian spent almost fifteen minutes in his car, psyching himself up to gather the courage to actually go in there. What if this was some sick prank and the whole football team was in there to mess with him? He didn’t trust Michael. Well, actually he did, but he didn’t at the same time. It was weird. Finally he decided he was being ridiculous and got out. When he got off the street Michael opened the door. Octavian realized with a start that Michael had been waiting for him, probably watching him sit in his car through the window. Michael smiled at him when he showed him indoors.

‘I almost thought you weren’t going to come,’ he said.

‘No, I… got delayed,’ was Octavian’s stupid response. Michael just hummed.

Michael’s house was nice, warm and homey. There was no one else there, and Michael explained his parents were at work. Octavian’s mom had never worked a day in her life, content to be a housewife for his father who was never there anyway, always out of the country working. They sat down in the kitchen and Michael asked if he could get him a snack. Octavian thought about it. He hadn’t had any lunch and was kind of hungry, but then again… No, he didn’t want to risk it.

‘Just tea if you have some?’

‘Sure. Coming right up.’

They worked for the next three hours, before Octavian’s mom called him and told him he needed to get home for dinner because his father was attending. That was a rare occasion in the Augustus family so Octavian went home, but not before he had to promise Michael they would do this again the day after the next.

 

\----------------------------

 

The next two weeks were simultaneously the best and the most nerve wrecking in Octavian’s life so far. Five afternoons he had spent at Michael’s house, working on their project. It was due in another couple of weeks, but Michael had been serious when he said he needed an A. Octavian loved every minute he got to spend with the other boy. Today it was Saturday, and he was still in bed when Michael texted him out of the blue.

 

**Hey, what’s up? Got any plans for today?**

_Nope, why?_

**Because I had tickets to go see a movie with Dakota this afternoon but he bailed on me and I really want to see it but I think it’s kind of sad to go to the cinema by myself. Wanna be my date?**

Octavian nearly choked. He didn’t mean date like that, he couldn’t. Right? Against his better judgement he typed:

_Sure. What time?_

**I’ll pick you up at five. Movie’s at six and then I thought maybe we could eat something afterwards?**

_Sounds good._

Michael, true to his word, honked his car horn at 4:59. Octavian called out to his mom that he was leaving but he got no answer. She was probably in her arts and crafts room. Oh well, she would text him if she missed him. They had a good system going.

When Michael dropped him off later that night, Octavian felt weirdly brave. He actually asked him to come in and have tea if he wanted. Michael happily agreed.

Octavian’s mom was in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee and reading a magazine. She smiled when the two of them entered.

‘Had a good time, sweetie?’

‘Yeah. We saw a movie and then we had dinner.’

‘You ate?’

‘Yeah?’

He looked at her pointedly, daring her to say anything about it in Michael’s presence. She didn’t push, bless her heart. Behind him, Michael cleared his throat.

‘Uhm… this is Michael.’

Michael shook her hand and smiled. She got up and took her magazine with her.

‘I’ll give you boys some privacy.’

Octavian put the kettle on and sat up on the bench next to it while he waited for the water to boil. Michael looked around and whistled.

‘Nice place. A little… not personal, but nice.’

‘It’s too big for two people,’ Octavian said.

‘Where’s your dad?’

He handed Michael his tea and they sat down at the breakfast table.

‘He works abroad most of the time. He’s here maybe five or six times a month. I’ve stopped counting.’

‘That must suck.’

‘It gives me and my mom a lot of freedom, but yeah.’

He glanced out the window at Michael’s crappy car in their paved driveway. It was parked next to the fountain. Octavian hated that fountain. He snorted.

‘What?’

‘Nothing. I just… I just thought about how fucking much I hate that fountain.’

Michael looked at it and smiled. It was a statue of some Greek or Roman god.

‘Who even has a fountain in their front yard? Who even has their _own_ cul-de-sac? Honestly, Augustus, this place is a little too much.’

‘Don’t call me Augustus. And yeah, tell me about it.’

‘I told you I like Augustus. So, what are you doing tomorrow?’

‘Sleeping.’

‘Just sleeping?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Want to come watch my game?’

‘You want me at your game?’

‘Sure. Why not?’

Octavian thought about it. He should probably rest to have enough energy for the school week, but then again…

‘Alright.’

‘Great! I’ll text you the time and place.’ Michael looked at his watch. ‘Shit! I’ve got to go. I promised mom I’d be home by eleven. See you tomorrow.’

 

\------------------------

 

Michael smiled and waved at Octavian when he saw him at the field the next day. He sent him a text saying that he and some of his friends were going out to eat afterwards and Octavian should meet them in the parking lot. He thought long and hard about whether or not he was going to go but then his adventurous side won and he sat himself on the hood of Michael’s car and waited.

Twenty minutes later he showed up with a girl and another football player in tow. He introduced them as Dakota and Gwen. Octavian recognized her as one of the cheerleaders. They went out to eat and then Michael drove him home. He even had fun, with other people, who could’ve imagined? They didn’t even seem to detest his company.

Michael turned off the car in the drive way and watched Octavian for a moment.

‘Do… do you want to come in?’

‘Yeah, but, I’ve got to get home. I’m babysitting my siblings tonight. Mom and dad are off on a date.’

‘Nice.’

‘I was actually thinking about asking you to get your car and come over but you look like you’re not feeling very well.’

Octavian thought about it. Should he tell Michael what was wrong with him? He hated talking about it, hated feeling like a frail, sick little boy.

‘I’m… kind of tired, yeah. Think I’ll go to bed early.’

Michael nodded. He was looking at Octavian with those dark, big eyes that seemed to notice every little thing about him and then, suddenly he pulled Octavian into a hug before he started the engine again.

‘Take care, will you? See you tomorrow.’

‘Yeah, see you tomorrow.’

When Michael’s car left the driveway, Octavian felt hollow inside. He wanted so bad to tell Michael, he really did, yet something was holding him back. He was just so scared that if Michael found out what was wrong with him he wouldn’t want to be his friend any more, and that would break Octavian’s already frail heart.

 

\--------------------------

 

He knew it was going to be one of those days when he woke up that Monday. His whole body ached and he felt like he needed to vomit, even though he didn’t have anything in him. He could have handled the pain in the joints, the taking shots and looking like he hadn’t been out in the sun for his entire life if only it hadn’t been for the nausea. That was the reason he was so skinny. When his disease got really bad, he just couldn’t eat. It came up again, more often than not together with a little blood. The mere thought of that was enough for him to not even want to try to eat.

Octavian knew of course that this was because of his overly active weekend with Michael. If he hadn’t had such a giant crush on the guy… But it had been fun, he mused. It was totally worth feeling like shit for a day before he got his energy levels back.

When he didn’t go down for breakfast, instead burrowing back under his cover, his mom came up and knocked on his door before she entered. She sat down on the bedside and stroke his arm through the cover.

‘Want me to call you in sick?’

He nodded.

‘Okay. I’ll bring something up for you. I know you don’t want to eat, just, you need to drink something at least. Some tea and some coke without the fizz. Please, Octavian.’

‘I’ll try,’ he sighed.

‘I’ll put the bucket beneath your bed.’

‘Yeah, whatever.’

Octavian felt really bad that he couldn’t appreciate her concerns but today he would have loved going to school. He had history with Michael and… well, he had history with Michael. He should probably let the other boy know he wasn’t coming. He sent Michael a short text which only said: ‘Not going to school today.’ He didn’t wait to see if he got a reply. As soon as his mom came back with the tea and the coke he turned on the TV in his room and tried to drink it. He managed with the tea, the coke was harder. His mom kept insisting that he needed it because of the sugar and the salts in it, but it just tasted weird without the bubbles. She always shook the bubbles out of it for him because she was afraid they would mess up his stomach even more than it already was. He fell asleep again an hour later. At least he hadn’t vomited, and he counted that as a win.

Octavian was woken up by his mom. He felt like he had only slept for like five minutes but the clock on the wall said three hours.

‘Your friend is here with your homework, sweetie.’

‘What?’ he said groggily.

‘Your friend. Apparently you have some homework due in a couple of days and he was worried you’ll miss the deadline. Can I show him in?’

‘Sure,’ Octavian said. If he had been more awake he would have probably stopped her because in his mind he didn’t have friends, not the kind that were close enough to drop off homework, anyway, so who the fuck was at the door? His breath caught in his throat when Michael walked into his room and dropped a stack of books on his desk. Shit. He did not want Michael to see him like this.

‘Hi,’ Michael said, like it was no big deal that he was there.

‘Uhm…’

Michael sat down on the side of the bed.

‘I got you some books. I don’t know if maybe you’ve done the homework or not, but I figured you don’t want to miss a deadline.  I texted you, but you didn’t answer me.’

Octavian checked his phone. He had three missed texts from Michael.

‘I’ve been sleeping.’

‘I can see that. Are you sick? I thought you looked pale yesterday.’

‘Kind of, yeah. Don’t worry, it’s not contagious.’

‘I wasn’t.’

‘So you texted me and when I didn’t answer you decided to just come over here?’

‘Yeah. That’s what you got friends for.’

‘Oh… Have you been in my locker?’

‘Oh, yeah…’ Michael actually looked a little bashful. ‘I cracked your combination.’

‘I feel like I should be upset about the breach of privacy, but honestly, thank you. I needed the books.’

‘So, what’s wrong with you? Or is that an offensive question?’

‘Yes, it is.’ Octavian realized the moment he said it that it sounded harsher than he had intended but he really did not want to talk about it.

‘Okay, sorry. Are you coming back to school soon or should I break into your locker again?’

‘If nothing changes, I’ll be in tomorrow. I just need this day to bounce back.’

‘Aight. Hope you feel better tomorrow then. See you around, Tavi.’

‘Tavi?’

‘Yeah. _Octavian_ sounds a little pretentious, don’t you think?’ Michael smiled.

‘Maybe…’ He honestly hadn’t thought about it.

‘Bye.’ Michael said and left. Octavian looked through his window when Michael went to his car.

 

\-------------------------

 

The next day Michael was waiting at his locker when he got to school. He was fiddling with his car key while he waited. Octavian watched him for a little while from a distance before he gathered enough courage to actually approach him. Michael lit up when Octavian finally walked up to him.

‘Feeling better today? You still look kind of pale.’

Octavian rolled his eyes.

‘Yeah.’

‘Great, because I was thinking… I was reading through our last draft and there are some things I want to fix. Want to do it after school?’

‘Sure, yeah.’

‘My place or yours?’

‘Yours, I think I prefer yours actually.’

‘No wonder. Between you and me, your house looked like a freaking museum. I was kind of scared that I would break something just by looking at it, and then I would owe your mom my salary for life.’

Octavian chuckled at that. Michael dropped him off at his first class and said Octavian should just show up at his house after school since Michael left an hour before him that day. When he left Octavian went into his classroom. It felt weird, having a real friend. It had even started rubbing off on some of the other students as well. Mostly Michael’s friends, they said hi to him when they met in the hallway and they didn’t seem bothered by his presence when he and Michael hung out. Suddenly Octavian realized that, thanks to Michael Kahale, he wasn’t an outcast anymore.

 

\------------------------

 

Octavian was reading through the draft of their work and honestly, he thought it looked fine. He didn’t understand why Michael kept insisting on meeting up in the afternoons to work on it. This was their last night, however, because tomorrow they would have to turn the paper in. Michael was fidgeting and looking nervous. Octavian felt a little sad that this was the last time he would come over to Michael’s after school to do this. He wasn’t sure whether Michael would want to continue hanging out with him after the paper was finished or not.

They were lounging in Michael’s room, drinking tea and Octavian was reading the paper out loud for Michael. He looked pleased. When Octavian finished and put the paper down, Michael asked:

‘What do you want to do now?’

‘I… don’t know.’ Octavian furrowed his brow. Michael had never asked him to continue hanging out after they had finished their work for the evening.

‘Let’s go for a drive. I’m kind of in mood for Starbucks.’

‘Alright.’

After they had gotten their drinks, Caramel hot chocolate with whipped cream for Octavian and a Frappuccino for Michael, they were sitting on the ground in front of Michael’s car, using his bumper as a back rest. It was dark outside, kind of late for a school night but neither of them cared. They were drinking their hot beverages and star gazing. Octavian had always been a space nerd, and now he pointed out his favorite constellations to Michael. The other boy listened with interest as Octavian told him the different mythological stories of how they came to be. Once, Octavian almost caught Michael staring at him, but when he turned his head Michael quickly looked away and Octavian did his best to convince himself that he had imagined it.

 

\----------------------

 

They had PE together that Wednesday. In the locker room, Octavian noticed that Michael was watching his naked upper body with a concerned look on his face, so he quickly pulled the t-shirt over his head and left the locker room. He grabbed one of the balls and shot some hoops before the rest of the class entered the gym. They were divided into teams. Octavian was actually quite good a basketball. He liked to practice at home. His doctor kept telling him that exercise was good for his bad joints so he had asked his parents for a hoop and a ball. His parents had built him an entire basketball course, because they couldn’t do anything with modesty.

He and Michael were on opposing teams, which only meant that they had several occasions to brush against each other. Every time that happened Octavian was equally breathless. At some point during the game, there was a struggle, Octavian didn’t know with whom because there were a lot of people in the fray, but he felt the hit to his stomach. He left the game and went to sit down, getting a feel to how bad it was. His doctor always said that any hit to the stomach needed to be followed by an immediate checkup, but honestly, Octavian felt fine.

Until he got up.

He suddenly felt nauseous and there was the taste of blood in his mouth. He was about to rush to the bathroom to throw up when his legs gave in. He vomited blood on the floor of the gymnasium and then he promptly passed out.

 

\------------------------

 

‘You gave us quite a scare you know.’

Octavian looked up when he heard the voice in his room. He had only been awake for an hour or so. His mom had just left to get herself some lunch. Now, Michael Kahale was standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost. Octavian furrowed his brow.

‘Uhm…’

‘You collapsed in the middle of basketball, Tavi. You puked blood, for goodness sake. It was like “The Exorcist”. What happened?’

‘I think someone accidentally hit me in the stomach.’

‘Yeah, that was me. Sorry. That’s the reason you collapsed?’

‘Yeah. Internal bleeding.’

Michael looked at him with shock on his face.

‘But… but I barely touched you.’

‘I think you’re stronger than you think,’ Octavian said and pulled his t-shirt up to show Michael the bruise on his stomach. Michael regarded him for a moment, carefully weighing the words in his mouth before he spoke them.

‘This is the same reason you were sick the other day, right? There was a bucket next to your bed when I visited you. It couldn’t have been the flu or something, because you said it wasn’t contagious. Do you puke blood on a regular basis? What’s wrong with you?’

‘Do I puke… _What’s wrong with me?_ ’ Octavian asked.

Michael sighed and threw his hands up.

‘I didn’t mean it like… You’re always _so_ defensive. Obviously you have some kind of disease or syndrome or something because _you’re not well_. The more time we spend together, the more I notice these little things with you. If you don’t want to tell me for whatever reason, then fine, but I know something’s up and I want you to know that I care.’

‘That’s why I don’t have friends,’ Octavian said. ‘They notice things, and then they want to _know_. And then… and then they’re only your friend because you’re broken and they feel bad about leaving you. No thank you.’

‘I think we’re past not being friends,’ Michael said matter-of-factly.

‘I know,’ Octavian retorted. He actually sounded kind of pissed about it.

‘So can you please tell me? Or not, just… either way I’ll care so you might as well spill because not knowing isn’t going to change the way I feel.’

They stared at each other for a while before the blond boy finally caved in and downcast his eyes. Michael waited patiently for an explanation.

‘It’s called Christmas disease,’ Octavian muttered into his lap.

Michael closed the door behind him and came closer to the bed. He flopped down into the chair next to it.

‘Christmas disease, like, Merry Christmas? Ho, ho you’ve been a naughty boy Octavian so I’m getting you a disease instead of presents.’

A small smiled tugged at Octavian’s thin lips.

‘No, like some guy named Christmas. I think he was the first ever recorded patient, or something. Real name is Hemophilia B.’

‘Which means your blood doesn’t clot.’

Octavian nodded. He briefly wondered how Michael knew that but he brushed the thought aside for another time.

‘I get internal bleedings easily. Mostly in the abdomen. Then I need to go to the hospital for treatment. I didn’t think it was that bad though, when you tackled me.’

‘Is that why you have all those bruises? I saw you noticed me looking at you earlier. I didn’t mean to, I was just concerned.’

He looked down at his arms and sighed.

‘Yeah. I know the kids at school think I self-harm, but they just keep popping up.’

Michael blushed. Octavian knew he had listened to, and probably helped spread the rumors about Octavian being an emo kid and hurting himself. It was fine though, everyone at their school did. He kind of liked it that way, actually, because that meant they didn’t know about his disease and he didn’t want them to. That was too personal.

‘You should have told me.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I’m your… friend. I care about you, Tavi.’

‘I liked it better when people didn’t know.’

‘Is this something like you’re scared people will only pity you?’

Octavian didn’t answer that. He didn’t have to. His blush did it for him. Michael let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head.

‘Look, I was going to say that you need to lighten up and start trusting people, Tavi, but I get why it’s hard for you. We…’ he looked away and gathered some courage. ‘We haven’t exactly been nice to you in the past, have we?’

‘It’s fine, really…’

‘No, it’s not. Some of the kids at school said some really nasty things about you. I know, I’ve heard them, and I didn’t speak up even though I thought it was horrible. That’s just as bad. I’m sorry.’

‘I get it,’ Octavian mumbled. ‘Speaking up might have made you a target as well. You don’t want that. You’ve taken a big enough social risk as it is, hanging out with me. Sure, you were fine and I’ve actually managed to make a couple of friends because of you but it could have gone the other way around too. You could have been made just as much of an outcast as I was. High school sucks like that.’

Michael was even closer now.

‘I don’t regret a second,’ he said. ‘Can I take another social risk?’ he asked. Octavian looked up at him. He was standing right next to him, his face hovering over Octavian’s.

‘S.. sure…’ he whispered.

Michael leaned down and placed a soft, chaste kiss on Octavian’s lips. Octavian gasped. He looked up at Michael when he pulled away. Michael winced.

‘Did I not… Was that completely out of line? I mean… I’ve been thinking that I think you… that maybe you like me? Or is that just wishful thinking?’

Octavian got a burst of courage and grabbed Michael by the front of his shirt, pulling him down again, so he could crash their lips together. Michael’s big hands came up to cup Octavian’s face.

They were interrupted by the door to the hospital room opening. Michael didn’t let go of Octavian’s face until he saw that it was Octavian’s mom who had entered. He blushed, and pulled back.

‘You should be resting,’ she said. ‘Not kissing cute boys as soon as I leave your side.’

She had a smirk on her face. Octavian rolled his eyes at her. Michael said:

‘I have to go. I’m babysitting my siblings tonight. Do you have your phone?’

‘Yeah.’

‘I’ll text you later, then.’ He ducked past Octavian’s mother with a mumbled: ‘Mrs Augustus,’ before he disappeared.

‘Nice to see you, Michael,’ she called after him, then she looked at Octavian and said: ‘Totally called that, by the way.’

‘Mom!’

‘Oh, come on Octavian. He’s a really handsome young man, of course there would be more than friendship between you two.’

‘Mom, stop.’

‘I’m just saying. Was he a good kisser?’

‘MOM!’


End file.
